Binding of Shadows
by Ghuuunt
Summary: After the Breach/Volume 2, team RWBY is left with a lot of questions and not many answers. In their search for the White Fang and it's ringleaders, they stumble upon something unprecedented in Remnant…and in harnessing it, they could save Remnant…or destroy it.
1. Chapter 1: A Stranger

The drums beat a throbbing tone, filling the matron's head and matching her heartbeat. Surrounded by robed figures, she danced in the forest, lit by a red, hellish glow. Spitting dark, foul words, she bobbed and weaved over two objects on a table. Laying her hands on both, she unwrapped one, then the other, revealing them to be children. Eyes cast up to the heavens, she clutched the support, screaming her dark words. Reaching into her robe, she brought out a blood-red dagger, encrusted by rubies and jet. Her cries reached a crescendo, and she plunged the dagger down, and there was silence.

* * *

The Breach. That was what they were calling it. The first time in centuries a major city had been infiltrated by Grimm. At Beacon, things continued at normal, but you could see it. The determination in everyone's eyes, the hushed whispers in dark hallways. The innocence and luster of being a Huntress or Hunter had worn off, replaced, whether you liked it or not, by the reality of the situation, which was this: things would never be the same. Interaction between schools was low, neither one trusting the other. The Vytal tournament had been pushed back a week, so that troops could be flown in to guard the festivities. Cinder Fall observed it all with quiet satisfaction. They were fools, only reacting to stimuli. This changed nothing, she was still in control. She held all the cards. Leave Roman to rot or free him, it was of no consequence. He would only give Ironwood what she told him, which wasn't much. Tools, all of them. If they broke, it was only an inevitability. She would find another if need be. Cinder let a slight smile grace her featureless face. Her two proteges, Emerald and Mercury, observed Cinder with quiet interest. Let them think what they will, try to decipher what I'm thinking. Keep them occupied. She could not let those two get any thoughts of ambition. They would be deterred once they saw her in the tournament. She would win, of course. That Pyrrha girl was interesting, as well as a choice few others. Breaking them would fun. Cinder turned around from the window she was looking out of, and spoke to Emerald and Mercury.

"Are you up for a challenge?" Mercury didn't speak, merely scoffed. Emerald addressed Cinder,

"What do need us to do?"

"I have decided that Roman is useful enough for us to break him out. Not yet: you don't need to move now. I want him freed the day before the tournament begins. Maximum chaos, Ironwood and his cronies pissing themselves over how such a thing could've happened. Ozpin will start to question his actions, Ironwood will push for him to step up security. Yes, the day before. Now leave me alone. I have things I must attend to that you are not required for." Mercury merely shrugged and left. Emerald lagged behind.

"Do you want him broken out quiet or loud?"

"Loud." Perfect. Emerald nodded and closed the door.

* * *

"Mister…what may I call you?" Professor Ozpin said, looking past the transcript in his hand.

"Just uh…call me Amber, I guess."

"Amber. While I may not stoke you as a particularly observant person, I assure you I am. I require your complete honesty, otherwise there will be serious…repercussions in the future, should I find out you lied."

"I understand, sir."

"Now. Let's start with your hometown. You didn't mark anything."

"I don't know where I come from."

"Where were you before your time here?"

"Vacuo."

"Anywhere specific?" the headmaster steepled his fingers.

"Outside the walls."

"I see. Amber, your name on this transcript is troubling. If your last name is the same as.."

"It is."

"I see." the man nodded his head. "If this is true, this changes everything. She was a lunatic, none of those rituals ever worked, but if you are who you say you are, there may be some…fallout."

"I understand."

"Very well. But remember this: when someone finds what you work so hard to keep under wraps, there will be no more hiding. There is no telling if the world will be ready, but I ask this of you: will you?" Amber didn't answer: merely turned and walked out.

"Welcome to Beacon, Mister Fiend." muttered Ozpin, looking at the transcript. "Oum help us all."

* * *

Ruby sat alongside Weiss in her bed, facing Blake and Yang, who were doing the same in Yang's bed.

"I know we haven't talked about it, but..." said Ruby, before getting interrupted by Yang.

"I know. We haven't done any work for our little side project in a while. But with the tournament coming up" Yang was interrupted by her Faunus partner.

"I don't know if we should enter the tournament. I mean, how much time will it take up? Besides, with other students distracted, we have more breathing room." Blake interjected.

"That's preposterous!"

"Guys, stop, don't fight like this..."

"We can't just sit by and-"

"We aren't! We can't go on forever, we just took a major step!"

"Did we? Because all I have since the Breach are more questions and not any answers!" yelled Blake. Her golden eyes turned downcast once she saw her shocked teammates. "I'm sorry, it's just...frustrating. How do you deal with not knowing? Do you even care?" she finished, voice cracking at the last sentence. Yang put her arm around the girl.

"Of course we care," she said softly. "That's why I've done some digging. Well, look, it's better if he just shows you. I know a guy, and I think he can help us with some answers."

* * *

Yang was trustworthy, if a little headstrong and reckless. Ruby trusted her sister with her life. However, when they strode all the way across Beacon to the third-year student quarters, containing people possibly 6 years older than Ruby, she could not help but shudder.

"It'll be fine," reassured Yang, with a wave of her hand.

"Where is Weiss?" asked Ruby. She always felt more safe around her partner.

"She's got some Dust presentation, this is just getting information anyway. Even so, I thought you would like to see our mysterious benefactor." said Yang, with a mischievous smile. Ruby was not reassured, nor did Blake look very comfortable. However the Faunus felt, however, she didn't speak up about it. Yang stopped in front of a standard dormitory door. Knocking lightly, she announced,

"Hey, Amber? It's me, Yang." The door opened, revealing a small man with hair darker than a raven's, with irises so brown they were almost black. _Or were just they black,_ thought Ruby with a shudder. He looked tired, with crow's feet under his eyes. However, his face lit up when he saw Yang.

"So soon? I thought you said..." he trailed off, seeing the look on Yang's face.

"It's about the other thing," she said in a darker tone.

"Oh. Uh, please, come in, make yourself at home." Amber patted a black feaux leather couch.

"Woah," said Ruby, marveling at his room. To start, there was only one bed, not four. It was shoved in the far corner, next to a fridge and microwave. On the other side of the room, the couch faced a large T.V, which had multitudes of wires connecting it to a desktop computer. Ruby peered at the screen, trying to decipher the strange text displayed.

"You code much?" asked Amber. Ruby ignored him, until she realized he was talking to her.

"No, not at all," she remarked sheepishly.

"Well, it'll probably be a little hard for you to understand this," he said, plopping down in an office chair in front of the computer. "Ok, let's see here, what was I doing? Yang's project...hmm...ok..." He turned to the girls, who looked bewildered, except Yang, who bounced with excitement. "Sorry for the wait, just let me refresh my memory." The girls patiently waited. Ruby leaned over to Yang, speaking quietly.

"So, uh, sis? How do you know this guy?"

"He uh...helps me with homework. Mostly the flight lessons, stuff like that." Yang replied. She looked over at Blake, who raised an eyebrow. _Helped you? Or just plain did your homework for you?_ Her eyes seemed to ask. Yang was about to elaborate, but was interrupted by Amber.

"Ok! So Yang here asked me to do some very strange things. But me, liking money, accepted, and I've got some info you might like about your...targets in the White Fang. First up, Roman Torchwick. He's pretty easy, always been a thorn in the side of the police, but now he's stepped up his game. A lot. With the help, obviously, of the White Fang." Amber paused, looking at the girls' unimpressed faces.

"You know, I found this out myself," he elaborated. Ruby was astonished.

"How?!" she spluttered.

"Well, I'm a bit...unorthodox. While most Hunters do field work, I sit here in my lair, tapping away at a computer. You would be surprised what you can find with a few password-spoof keys." Ruby, satisfied, sat back on the couch. Amber continued.

"So, I managed to find out their schedule, and where they have their meetings. Dust is getting moved somewhere to the southeast, I assume Mountain Glenn. However, where Roman and the top-level admins in White Fang will be, I can't find out. The public postings and basic grunt intel are all I can gather, however, I think that Roman will be wherever the most Dust is getting loaded. From information on the meeting, I've managed to plot points on the map, indicating where these shipments are loaded." Amber tapped on his computer, and the T.V screen lit up with a map of Vale City. Angry red dots indicated where the shipments were being loaded. However, it didn't take long to notice a pattern...

"He's moving across the shoreline!" exclaimed Ruby, eliciting looks from her teammates. Amber waited for silence, then spoke.

"Precisely. Therefore, with the new information combined with our knowledge of his pattern, this will be where Roman is next." Amber tapped a key, and a green dot lit up the screen. "Now, you can either attack now, which while sounding good, has some drawbacks, or wait until a new pattern emerges, and attack then."

"Why not attack now?" asked Yang, always thinking of offense.

"Well, from what I can tell, this area is totally owned by the White Fang. Police response is minimal to nonexistent on crimes there, and the body count for henchmen is higher than any other site visited."

"A possible HQ?" asked Blake, thinking out loud.

"Maybe. But, I am merely a gatherer of information. The decision is up to you," said Amber, pulling a flash drive from his computer and handing it to Yang. "Now, as for my payment..." he flashed a smile as Yang pulled out 200 Lien and gave it to him. "Oh that's right," Amber said, stopping the girls before they left. "If you want any help...I could help with getting you there, and...well, I am a Huntsman." He said. Ruby looked at his small, wiry frame skeptically.

"What's your weapon?" she asked innocently. He pulled a rifle with a bayonet from the wall, blowing dust off of it. The design was simple enough, reminiscent of a musket from the Faunus War, but instead of gray steel binding the wood stock, a metallic substance the color of jet was used instead. The bayonet was also the same black color, perhaps made of obsidian. It looked like more of an antique than a weapon. Ruby looked at Amber sheepishly.

"Are you sure you know how to use that?" she asked. Amber barked a confident laugh.

"Sure I do! What's so complicated about swish, swish, stab?"


	2. Chapter 2: A Shade

Ruby skipped alongside her teammates, behind Amber, who, despite being 5 years her senior, was only a couple inches taller than her.

"So, Amber? How do you know Roman is out of prison? I mean, I didn't hear any news about him escaping." Ruby asked.

"Exactly. Our friend Mr. Ironwood is working very hard to keep things under wraps, but he's not perfect. There are ways to find things out." Amber said with a smirk. He had thrown on an onyx coat, which, unbuttoned, flapped behind him in a manner not unlike Ruby's cloak. _So mysterious. I wonder how Yang found him in the first place._ Ruby thought, still following Amber. He pulled out his scroll. Tapping a few times on it, he raised it to his ear.

"Hello, Mr. Ozpin? Yes, is it okay if I check out a Bullhead for an, um...mission? Yes, I know, it's just...actually, maybe you would understand if I said I was with a certain team RWBY...of course. Thanks." Amber returned the scroll to his pocket. "Alright, is everyone ready? We can go now, if you'd like." All three girls were astonished.

"How did you do that?" asked Ruby. "I thought you needed a teacher to be able to..."

"Ozpin and I have an...agreement...of sorts. Also, third year students can check out a Bullhead on their own for a mission with their team." Amber responded.

"What happened to your team?" asked Ruby.

"I never had one, never will. Again, that agreement. I'd...rather not delve too deeply into my personal life. How much am I getting paid for this?" Amber asked, looking at Yang.

"Nothing, if you know what's good for you," she growled. Amber raised his hands in defense.

"Okay, sorry, forget what I said." He returned his eyes to the ground, shaking his head slightly. "So where's your fourth teammate?" he asked Ruby.

"Weiss? She had a presentation, she'll meet us at the Bullhead." Ruby quipped. Amber nodded.

"Alright then, let's go." He said.

* * *

Amber was strapped in the cockpit, Weiss beside him, doing a pre-flight check. Weiss insisted she be the co-pilot because

"If some dolt crashes the Bullhead and I couldn't help, I will only blame myself," she stated.

Amber's odd black rifle was strapped to the back of his seat. He looked much more at home in front of a screen, instead of holding a weapon. Tapping a few controls, he turned in his seat, saying,

"All right, we're ready to go. Strap in, and we'll be off." Team RWBY needed no further instruction. Amber fired up the engines, starting a whine, then a low hum, then a roar, as the craft strained against gravity, defying common sense, and rose into the air. As the spires of Beacon shrank away from them, Weiss asked Amber through a headset,

"My team didn't tell me much about you. Where's your team? How did you find all this out?"

Amber smirked, merely responding with, "First, I've never had a team. Second, a true craftsman doesn't reveal his skills." Weiss crossed her arms in frustration.

"Whatever _that's_ supposed to mean," she said, sulking. Soon, the houses of Vale City were below them, and Amber flew over to the marked location on the map. Finding an empty courtyard a short distance away, he touched the craft down, unstrapping and grabbing his weapon.

"All right, we can go through this building to the roof, where you can see what's going on better." the short man said, hitting a button and opening the doors. Sure enough, a dilapidated warehouse stood next to them, overlooking the docking area. The doors weren't even locked. As the girls ascended the stairs to the roof, Amber stayed behind.

"I'll guard the entrance, let you know if anything's up." he said, grasping his rifle. Ruby didn't look convinced, but a nod from Yang told her to trust Amber. The four girls left.

Amber stamped his feet, chain-backed gauntlets grasping his rifle. _I dunno why I did this. Don't let them get close, they won't understand. They never do. But Ozpin let me go. That has to mean something. Maybe they could..._ Amber's thoughts trailed off as he heard voices.

"It landed over here! I'm telling you, it wasn't supposed to!" Obviously White Fang cronies. Amber steeled himself for the inevitable. The footsteps grew closer. _Ah, screw it,_ thought Amber, busting through the rotting doors and swinging the stock of his rifle at the nearest figure with a yell. To his surprise, it connected, and a man dropped like a stone, unconscious. Amber looked at his opponents. _Only 4? Probably a piece of cake for an actual Huntsman, but not so much for me..._ the nearest Faunus took a swing at him with a katana. Amber sidestepped and deflected the blow with his rifle. Pulling the stock to his shoulder, he squeezed the trigger, then dropped and rolled as a swing from a hammer came from his left. A viscous kick caught him in the shoulder, but Amber managed to hang onto his weapon.

"Use your words! Use your words!" he yelled, frantically blocking their attacks. Not all of them, however. A few cuts and bruises were already being healed by his aura. Amber felt the power flow through him, drawing his aura through him like blood through a cut. Slashing with his bayonet, Amber caught one man on his arm, dropping his sword.

* * *

"We need backup!" called one of the cronies. _Maybe if I can get these guys before the rest come, I can contact team RWBY,_ thought Amber. As if to drive the point home, a dozen more White Fang member rounded the corner, some with wicked-looking blades or clubs, some with guns. Riflemen dropped to their knees, pulling the trigger. Amber felt something punch his chest harder than a truck. He dropped like a stone. Putting one hand to his heart, Amber took it away, and it was covered in blood. _I can still live. I've fought it for so long but..._ a kick to the head put Amber in the fetal position on the cold pavement. Amber reached inside himself: and there it was, that raging sea of primal energy. Amber didn't hold back, plunging into it until it filled him, that taint, that filth. He wanted to scream in ecstasy and vomit at the same time. _Yes, yes..._

Blake put the binoculars down.

"There's a patrol coming back there," she said, concern in her voice.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, he's been at Beacon for three years!" reassured Yang.

"We need backup!" the cry for help brought Blake to pick up the binoculars again.

"Yang..." the Faunus said, frustration entering her voice. Yang looked at her sister. Ruby nodded.

"All right! Let's go help Amber!" Ruby shouted. Weiss exploded into motion, activating a glyph under her feet and launching over the lip of the building. Blake converted the Gambol Shroud into whip mode and swung away. Yang merely jumped off the roof with a cry of elation. Ruby semblance-dashed down to the doors, which were already open. She heard commotion, looking down the street...

Ruby saw a scene of utter bedlam. Dozens of White Fang soldiers fought against her friends. They were protecting...Amber? The small man was thrashing about on the pavement, back arched painfully, hands grasping at nothing. Ruby fought her way to her team, where they were discussing a plan.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know!"

"So much blood..." The soldiers, sensing an opening, rushed team RWBY, pushing them back. Amber was left behind them. One soldier feinted at Ruby, holding a scimitar. Dodging and weaving, looking for a gap in her defenses, he suddenly jerked, blood blooming on his shirt. Amber had got up, impaling the soldier with his rifle. Dropping his weapon, he sank to his knees, vomiting profusely. Then, something... _shifted_. Amber's black eyes looked at Ruby, and she saw fear. Amber began to change. Hunching over, team RWBY and the White Fang watched a monstrosity unfold before them. Amber's skin, pale from the time he spent inside, turned black as night. His body bulged, growing, writhing, _shifting_. Hands clutched at the air, turning to wicked black claws. Ram's horns burst from his head. Amber, no, not Amber, some... _beast_ , stood. Eyes glowing likes the fires of hell, it reached out into the air, and a sword appeared in it's hand. The blade was jagged, serrated, looking more like a steak knife than a sword. Whatever Amber had turned into wheeled on team RWBY. When it spoke, Ruby's head hurt, and she felt sick.

* * *

" **RUN."** the beast spat, turning on the White Fang, who were rapidly backing up. Team RWBY needed no further instruction, taking cover behind the nearest corner. Ruby heard black words being spoken, so foul, so _terrible,_ she could not describe. She emptied her stomach on the pavement, clamping her hands over her ears. Looking at her team, she saw they had done the same. The screams of the White Fang still got through, however. Ruby looked around the corner, then promptly ducked back around. A body hit the wall opposite them at bone-crushing speed. Looking at the broken body of the soldier, it seemed as if the beast had torn it in a rage, bloody gashes crossing the body at all angles. His back was definitely broken. His eyes stared into the abyss. Ruby retched, but there was nothing left in her.

* * *

Amber tore into the White Fang with glee, welcoming their blows like old lovers. He sang in the Black Tongue, striking down those who were weak enough to succumb. Grabbing one soldier by the neck, Amber looked into his pitiful, helpless eyes. Reaching into the Ether, Amber could feel the soldier's weak soul compared to his raging one. Still, he needed sustenance. Liquid shadow poured from the pair, enveloping the alleyway. When it cleared, there was nothing there, except Amber, who searched for more Prey. _What about the females? Yes, they would do nice, strong Aura, full of vitality._ Amber stalked towards his Prey.

* * *

Ruby could hear It approaching. Looking to her teammates for help, she found Yang, whose eyes merely narrowed. Cocking back Ember Celica, Yang flared her aura and jumped at the beast, who was rounding the corner. Her punch caught it square in the face, flinging him back into the brick wall, which shook under the impact. Yang raised her fists again, ready for a fight. The beast looked at the four girls, all in their fighting stance. It's hellish eyes swept over them. Then, reaching a decision, the beast sprouted hideous bat's wings and took to the sky. Ruby aimed her scythe at it, but Yang laid a hand on her weapon.

"It's ok sis," she reassured.

"Are you sure?"

"No." Ruby conceded the point and lowered her weapon. The four girls began walking back to the bullhead.

"What was that?" asked Ruby, voice shaking. "Was it the Devil? Was it a Grimm?" Her silver eyes quested among her teammates for answers. Weiss crossed herself, merely saying,

"Blütmagie." she whispered.

"What?" asked Ruby.

"Blood magic. You three aren't mages, you couldn't feel that, that... _wrongness_." Weiss shuddered. "Back in Atlas, I read about blood magic. These crazy people think sacrifices and pledges to the devil can give them powers, can make them a shade. A shade was someone not human, but not all evil. It was somewhere in between. I think we just saw someone more on the side of evil and not a whole lot of human." The girls reached the bullhead. Weiss entered the cockpit. Nobody asked if they should wait. Weiss fired up the engines, rising above the roofs of Vale City, and jetted back towards Beacon. Halfway along the trip, a thud sounded on the roof. Weiss didn't look back, but Yang opened the doors of the bullhead.

"Thanks," said Amber, swinging inside. All three girls were pointing their weapons at him before he could dust himself off. "Look, I understand there could be some questions-" he was cut off by Ruby.

"Amber, what happened to you?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yeah, uh, let's just get back to Beacon...I'll explain there." the small man said, entering the cockpit. "Hey Weiss." Weiss didn't react, merely ignored him, crossing herself again. "Oh c'mon, you know that doesn't work. I can still touch you, see? Boop." Amber poked her arm. Still silence. "Okay, I see how it is," he laughed, plopping into the co-pilot seat.

Amber sat on the couch, arms behind his head, feet on the table. Team RWBY stood in front of him, looking less than amused. Amber laughed.

"Okay, let's start with..."

 **A/N: I love cliffhangers. Fav/Follow/Review. Leave details if you have criticism, I can't get better if you don't tell me what I'm doing wrong!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Friend

"Okay, let's start with how I… did what I did back there." Amber said slowly. "I swear this thing never happens, it's been over a year since my last, uh,relapse." He laughed nervously, looking at the less-than-amused warriors in front of him. Running fingers through his spiky black hair, Amber took a deep breath.

"Okay, I going to tell you guys all I know. But I need no interruptions, ok?" His eyes swept over team RWBY. "Alright, so I bet Weiss has heard of blood magic. She's a little more…cultured than the rest of you. Basically, 20 years ago, there was a cult in the forests of Vacuo. My mom...she was the leader. She did some… some screwed up shit. Some stuff I can't remember… most of it, really. All I know is that she thought she could worship the Devil and gain power from it. Her name was Teufel. Even though I grew up in Vacuo, that's an Atlesian name. She tried all kinds of things: sacrifices, sex: fuck, I can't even...I'll get to the part where I come in. She got pregnant at one point, with twins. She killed the other one, sparing me. I don't really remember what it was like, I was too young. Eventually, she died trying to jump in this hot spring called the Sunwell. The cult dissolved, and I found my way to the streets of Vale City. I learned to live in the shadows, to do this," said Amber, gesturing at his computer.

"I wanted to make a difference, to be a hero, despite my difficult beginnings. I forged some transcripts, I thought I made them convincing enough, but Ozpin figured me out. He called me in, and it turned out he had...heard of my mom. We struck a deal. I told him all I know, and we worked this out," said Amber, sweeping a hand over his room. "Alright, any questions?" He looked expectantly at team RWBY. Weiss opened her mouth.

"I need to inform Headmaster Ozpin," she said, making for the door.

"I can't let you do that," said Amber in a bored voice.

" _You_ are a liability to the safety of Beacon, no, Remnant itself! I cannot sit by and leave you here, knowing what powers you posses" said Weiss. Amber sighed frustratedly.

"You know, I try to be nice, tell you all about my dirty little secret, then you do this," Amber said, anger creeping into his voice like poison. The normally dim room plunged into pitch darkness. Rustles could be heard, along with Amber's voice. "Don't move. Hey, you know, your ninja friend can see pretty well in the dark." He stared through the darkness at Blake. "You don't think Ozpin knows? Of course he does. That's why I don't have a team, why I sit here, alone, trying to be _normal._ " Amber spat. "You know, I'd talked with Yang a little bit, and I thought you might be different, that you might understand. I was wrong."

Light slowly came back into the room. Amber was at his desk, head in hands. Blake had her hand on Gambol Shroud, looking around uncertainly. "Just go," said Amber, voice suddenly tired. Weiss wasted no time, flinging the door open and storming out. Ruby and Yang soon followed. Yang looked like she was going to speak, then just shook her head and walked out. Amber called to Blake as she followed her team,

"Why do hide that you're a Faunus?" he asked lightly. Blake paused, looking back at Amber.

"You, of all people, should know why," she said, leaving and closing the door.

Amber let out a deep breath, spinning his chair around.

"Fuck!" he yelled at the walls. "Fuck you!" Amber put his head in his hands. _Why did I do this, this was stupid, stupid, stupid..._

* * *

Weiss crossed her arms.

"We need to take action! This is unprecedented, this is unnatural, it's _wrong_!" she exclaimed. Ruby looked crestfallen.

"I mean, it's not that different from when we found out Blake was a Faunus..." she said. Ruby looked Blake in her golden eyes. Blake sat up straight.

"He could tell I was a Faunus," she said quietly. "When he turned off the lights-I still don't know how-I got ready to fight him, and he could still see in the dark, at least as well as me." The rest of the girls nodded, all aware of Blake's heightened sense of vision in the dark.

Ruby stood up suddenly. "Look, I know that we're all confused, but… Amber seemed a little sad. It must have been hard for him to say all that about himself. He doesn't really want this sort of thing to happen," she said. "Maybe he just needs a friend."

* * *

Ruby stood outside Amber's door, visibly frustrated. "Go away!" called Amber, from inside.

"Amber, I want to talk. It's just me," pleaded Ruby.

"I'm done talking. If you have any questions, ask Ozpin," said Amber, still hiding in his room.

"Amber, I don't have any questions. I just… can you open the door? It's awkward standing out here," said Ruby, shuffling uneasily. The door opened. Amber's hard eyes softened when he saw Ruby, reminded of how much younger the girl was than him. He held the door open for her, gesturing Ruby to come in. Amber sat down on the couch.

"What do you want to talk about?" he prompted. Ruby composed herself.

"Well, it's just… you seemed sad when you talked about your past. You shut yourself away, but being alone just makes it worse: I know it does. You said you didn't want a team, but I think you're wrong. I want to help. I want to find a team for you." Amber shot up. "Ruby, I can't-"

"No Amber," Ruby interrupted firmly. "I know… I know it hurts, sometimes so bad you think there's no end in sight, but running just makes it worse, Amber. Sometimes, people don't make the best decisions for themselves. So I'm going to help you. Team RWBY is going to help you." Ruby sat there, smiling at Amber. The small man ran his hands through his hair.

"Ruby, I can't even fight." he said quietly. "I can't bring down the team I'm on."

"Pfft," Ruby waved away his complaint."You're not the only one who has trouble being a Huntsman. One of my best friends here didn't even know what Aura was. Despite that, he's the leader of his team, and they follow him without question. Amber, you need someone there with you, someone you respect: you need a friend."

"I don't have a semblance."

"Jaune hasn't found his semblance either! He doesn't let it define him!" Ruby shouted. She was getting upset. "Amber, please. I know how destructive it is to be like this. Don't push me away: don't push away people who are trying to help you!" Ruby's eyes glistened. She was on the brink of tears. Amber surrendered.

"What would you have me do?" he asked.

"Well, you know every Huntsman or Huntress has their symbol. I've got my rose and my crosses, Yang has her flame, Blake has her shadow, and Weiss has the Schnee family insignia. What I'm saying is: we all have something that makes us unique, and we express that with our symbol. Do you have one?" Ruby asked. Amber looked at his feet.

"No," he said ruefully. "I never really wanted one." Ruby frowned.

"Well, if you want any help, you can just ask," Ruby suggested. "Blake is good at drawing." She snickered.

Amber stood up. "Thanks, Ruby. I'll think on what you said. But for now, can I be alone?" he asked.

"Sure!" chirped Ruby, and she was gone in a flash of rose petals. _Wish I had a cool semblance like that_ , thought Amber. _Now, about the symbol..._


	4. Chapter 4: A Symbol

Amber sat on an oversized armchair, staring at the ceiling. "Professor Ozpin, there's been some stuff going on." He took a deep breath. "When I went to help team RWBY, I changed. This time, I went farther than I ever have before. Team RWBY saw me. At first I thought they would... I don't know. It's been a long time since someone has seen me change, but team RWBY was different. That Ruby girl, _she's_ different." Amber looked at Ozpin. The man nodded.

"She is certainly something else," Ozpin mused. "Please, continue. How did she approach you?"

"She wanted to help. She wants me to find a team, to get a symbol, to learn how to fight. I don't know if I'm ready." Amber looked Ozpin in the eye, dark eyes pleading.

"Amber, when you came here years ago, I asked if you were prepared to live in the open, to be known as a shade. I don't recall your answer."

"It's because I didn't have one. I've been here for years, trying to live a normal life. Professor, the more I think about this... I don't think I'll be able to be normal." Ozpin merely sipped his coffee. "I was born for a reason: regardless of why or how, I'm here. I've realized something. I don't care anymore, Professor. I'm tired of living in shadows, bound by them into obscurity. Prof... Headmaster... Ozpin, I want to join a team."

* * *

Ruby bounced in line, energy hardly contained. "This is gonna be so cool! We're gonna get to see new people, and their weapons, and get a prize... is there a prize? I don't really care, this is just so exciting awesome cool fantastic!" Ruby squealed. Her team stood beside her, ignoring her cries of elation. Weiss sulked, arms crossed. Blake held a book in one hand, absentmindedly following the group. Yang, hands on hips, peered ahead in the line. A tin voice crackled on the PA system.

"Attention, registration for the Vytal festival combat tournament is now open. When you register, make sure to include full name, where you can be contacted, and your year. We will have 4 divisions. Ask the registration booth if you have any further questions."

Team RWBY made it to the front of the line, filling out their information. Ruby smiled over at her teammates. _No more underground armies, no secret missions, just me and Crescent Rose._ Weiss had already finished, handing the slip of paper to an attendant. Blake was making slow progress, eyes flickering from book to table. _I wonder if Amber could still register,_ thought Ruby. _I should talk to him._

* * *

"Look, man, are you sure that's what you want?"

"I'm sure," said Amber, frowning. The artist looked at him skeptically. "Look, how about I give you an extra 20 Lien and you just shut up and do it." suggested Amber. The artist shrugged. Amber sat down in the chair, taking a deep breath. _Probably going to regret this, but fuck it, I want to_ live. As the tattoo needle started it's buzzing, Amber closed his eyes. _No going back._

* * *

Ruby knocked on Amber's door, her team behind her. Weiss was indignant.

"This is a travesty! We should not be helping him, he's a monster! He's a _threat_!" she exclaimed, arms thrown up in exasperation. Ruby turned to her partner.

"Weiss, you can't judge people like this anymore. The world isn't that black and white. He's been alone, hidden away, living with all those memories, those scars, and nobody has helped him. He deserves a chance at life, even if he doesn't want one." The door opened, flung open wide by a bombastic Amber.

"I'm glad you came. I was actually about to go see you guys, please, come in!" A huge smile was plastered on his face.

"A-Amber, you seem more... energetic than usual," stuttered Yang.

"Yes! I know. That's why I wanted to talk to you guys. You know how you wanted me to get a symbol?" Ruby and her team nodded slowly. "Well, I got one." Amber held up the backs of his hands. Tattooed on both his hands, in ink so dark red it was almost black, was...

Weiss drew Myrtenaster, hands whirling in complex motions too fast to follow. She bound up Amber in shining glyphs, blue eyes flashing.

"You would dare!" she shrieked. "Do you understand what that symbol means? You have crossed a very dangerous line, Professor Ozpin will know of this." Her eyes, blue steel, stared daggers at Amber. The small man merely laughed.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Something got you upset?" He laughed, his normal voice dropping until it was deep and rich as chocolate. "I needed a symbol. I thought this one was pretty fitting." The backs of his hands were still visible. Printed on them, as if in dark blood, was a pentagram. Amber smiled. The pentagrams on his hands danced and spun, and all light vanished from his room. "Please let me go," he said, a hint of anger creeping into his voice.

"You aren't going free until the proper authorities are contacted." said Weiss, adamant.

"Please, honey, play nice. You won't like me when I'm angry," warned Amber's voice, booming from everywhere. Light crept back into his room. He was still bound by Weiss' glyphs. The pair stared daggers at each other. Amber struggled to no avail against his bonds. He let out a tired sigh. "I did say I warned you," he started, black filling his eyes until shadows poured from them. Veins showing against his pale skin turned black as pitch. The glyphs binding him turned red, then black, then shattered as if made of glass. Amber dropped to the floor. Weiss stumbled back, trying to form more glyphs. Amber advanced, stepping slowly. He waved a hand, inky shadows wreathing his body. Weiss' blue eyes widened.

"What did you do?" she asked, incredulous. Ruby quested for Crescent Rose, feeling the metal strapped to her belt. Yang had Ember Celica ready to fire. Blake's hand crept toward Gambol Shroud. All three girls looked to Ruby.

"Amber, stop!" Ruby cried, stepping forward. "Is this what you want? We can't help you if you're like this!" her silver eyes pleaded with Amber.

"I'm always like this, Ruby!" he shouted. "Don't you understand! This, this is who I am!" His black eyes unnerved Ruby. She glanced at Weiss, who was still in shock. Her mouth opened, but no sound came.

"Weiss, what did he do?" Ruby asked.

"He... I can't make my glyphs..." Weiss trailed off. Her face was a mask of horror. Ruby turned to Amber.

"Amber, please, let her go!"

"Why? So she can call me a monster, a _freak_? I don't give a _shit_. I'm tired of being treated-"

"Treated like what? Like what you really are?" interjected Weiss. "Blood magic is _wrong._ Ruby, the others- they may not know much about it- you aren't _alive_! You are a husk, a mockery of something that should be beautiful. Some cruel joke on-"

"I am sick and tired of arguing!" shouted Amber. He was barely taller than Weiss, but he seemed to loom above all now. His hand reached into the air, grasping his blade of shadows. "You want a fight? " The shadows poured from him now, whirling in a maelstrom of dark energy. "Let's fight." His midnight eyes swept over team RWBY. He took one step towards Weiss, then all was black.

* * *

Yang cocked back Ember Celica. "Please, go to sleep," she asked Amber's unconscious body. She let out a deep breath. "He might need a doctor." Yang moved to pick up his body, but was stopped by a luminous glyph. Weiss stepped towards Amber.

"Do any of you know what the pentagram is?" she asked of her teammates. "It is the symbol of the Devil. Not one that you read about in storybooks, oh no. No cloven hooves, red skin, or pitchfork. This Devil is far more real than that." There was silence. "He is dangerous: that was proved today. He cannot be allowed to, to... use these powers!" she exclaimed. Ruby merely shook her head. Yang and Blake were both staring at their feet.

"Weiss, he could be hurt." Ruby said quietly. "Please, let us help him." Weiss let out an exasperated cry, turned on her heel, and stormed out of the room.

Amber opened his eyes. He was back in his room. _What the hell? What happened?_ The room plunged into shadow. _That's right_. Amber looked at the backs of his hands. _Why did I do it? I just want to be normal. Do I? Didn't it feel good to channel that power, that raw filth. As much as it filled me with disgust, I've never felt so good in my life. That girl, Weiss, the fear in her eyes. It was like a drug. Maybe she's right. Maybe I am a monster. I don't care, because I want to live. I want to be me. I can't hide anymore, it feels too good to have someone genuinely care about me. Does team RWBY even care?_ The floor dissolved to ash, replaced with the fires of hell. Amber didn't even flinch. _I'm dreaming. It's not that different from life. It's like I'm in a dream in single day, hoping that I'll wake up and everything will be ok._

 _But I won't because it isn't a dream. I need to wake up and start living. Wake up!_

* * *

"Wake up!" cried Yang. She punched the side of the bed. _Why did it have to be me?_ she thought sullenly, storming out of the infirmary. She trudged over to the gym, where an unfortunate punching bag waited.

* * *

Ruby sat on her top bunk, legs dangling idly. Weiss was off doing something for school, while Yang had gone to check on Amber. Blake was reading in her bed. Ruby lightly kicked the side of her bed, getting lost in the rhythm. _I should read up about the pentagram, or blood magic, or how to make new friends,_ she thought sullenly. Blake sat up.

"Hey, can you stop kicking?" she asked Ruby.

"Yeah, sure," said Ruby. "Hey, what do you think about all this? About Amber? You've been a little... quiet when we go over to his place. Blake set down her book.

"I've been trying to observe him. He's very... shut away. Not just physically. I have a feeling that what he told us what just the tip of the iceberg. I can't imagine what it was like: first his mom dying, then living on the streets... he hasn't had anyone to talk to, and what's inside tears him apart. When he wakes up, things need to be different." Blake finished. "I'm going to talk to Weiss." The Faunus got up and walked to the door. She turned before leaving. "Ruby?"

Ruby looked at her teammate. "Yeah?"

"You're doing a good job." Blake said softly, leaving and closing the door without a sound.


	5. Chapter 5: A Change

Blake walked through the halls of Beacon, taking her time to the library. Assuming that's where Weiss was, she would have to have a plan for talking to her. _She's so biased,_ thought the Faunus. _I thought she had changed since she found out I was a Faunus. I should talk to Amber too. At least, when he wakes up._ Blake recalled how Yang knocked him out. _Didn't he shatter a cheekbone or something?_ Blake looked up, and realized her feet had brought her to the doors of the library. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the doors open, golden eyes scanning for Weiss. A quick survey found her at none of their usual tables. Blake roamed the aisles, aimlessly searching. She poked her head around a corner and looked down the row, finding Weiss. The white-haired girl had puffy red eyes, knees tucked under her chin. _Was she crying?_ Blake sat beside her, waiting for Weiss to speak.

"Blake, when Amber made the room dark, did you... see anything?" she sniffled.

"I don't think so," said Blake slowly.

"Blake, you have to understand. He's a _monster_."

"That's why I'm here." Blake sat up against the wall. "Weiss, I don't understand."

"That's exactly the point! If only-"

"Weiss, Amber has a lot of scars. He probably represses the memories of when he was a kid. I know what it's like to be mistreated, to live in poverty, but he was literally living on the streets. Weiss, you grew up in a place that was almost the complete opposite of his world. How do you expect to understand anything about him?" This hit home with Weiss. The girl looked down, lost in thought.

"Blake, he's pure evil."

"Please, Weiss. There is no such thing as pure evil. The world isn't black and white: it's anything but! There's nothing but hues of gray!" Weiss just sighed. "Please, Weiss, just... try to talk to him without any violence." Blake pleaded.

* * *

Amber slept fitfully, various dreams plaguing him. In one, he talked to the devil.

The devil sat on a throne, wreathed in smoke and shadow. Amber was bound before him in chains. Nobody spoke, but the Devil's voice thundered in his head.

YOU ARE MINE. YOU BELONG TO ME.

"No!" Amber fought against his bonds, but they didn't give. His head ached with the devil's laughter, driving him to excruciating pain. Amber begged him to stop, but there was no respite. When he thought he could take no more, he awoke.

* * *

Sweat beaded on Amber's brow. He gasped for air, breath panicked. The whitewashed walls of the infirmary seemed to close in on him. His bed was like an oven. Amber threw the sheets off of him, swinging his legs over the edge. Gingerly he placed his feet on the floor. Testing his weight an finding his legs to be in working condition, Amber stood up. _The hell? Where am I? Last I know was in my room, then... what?_ Amber shuffled to a mirror hanging off the wall. He looked at his reflection. At first, nothing seemed off, then...

Amber touched the small horns sprouting from his forehead. _They feel real, but I could swear I_ didn't _have horns before._ Running a hand through his midnight hair, Amber muttered,

"That's awesome." He glanced at the tattoos on his hands. _I should talk to RWBY, if they even still want to talk to me._ Someone politely coughed behind him, and Amber whirled to see a beautiful girl with chestnut hair blushing in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I need to let the doctor know if you awake," she said quietly. An emerald dress came down to her knees, the rest of her legs covered by dark green leggings. She wore long green gloves that matched her dress up to her elbows. Laurel leaves, still alive, wreathed her hair. _Sure covers up well,_ thought Amber.

"Okay," he responded, moving over to the sink. Filling a cup with water, he watched the girl leave. _Why was she blushing?_ Amber felt a breeze, and over his shoulder at the back of his hospital gown. Under further inspection, it was revealed that the gown didn't exactly cover up well. Amber felt heat rush to his face. _Did she see...? Ugh, so much for first impressions._

After an inspection by the doctor, Amber's effects were returned to him and he was released from the infirmary. Returning to his empty room, Amber felt a familiar pang of loneliness. Time, however, had taught him how to ignore his soul's cries of solitude. _If I had a team, however..._ Amber jumped onto the couch, daydreaming of what could be.

* * *

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake all waited in their dorm for Yang. Ruby pulled out her scroll.

"Lemme call her," she said, dialing Yang's number. The call rang for 5 seconds until Yang picked up.

"Hey sis! You need anything?" asked Yang's canned voice.

"We were, um, just wondering when you would be back?" asked Ruby.

"I gotta do something, sis, I don't know when I'll be back," explained Yang.

"Wait? What are you doing?!" exclaimed Ruby, but the call had already dropped. Ruby put her scroll away and sighed. "Well, at least we can play Remnant without her winning."

* * *

A knock sounded on Amber's door. Amber cracked his eyes open, blearily looking around the room. _When did I fall asleep?_ He looked at the clock. _8:00? Jeez, this'll screw up my sleep schedule._ The knock sounded again.

"I'm coming," muttered Amber, opening the door for Yang, who stood outside his door, arms akimbo.

"Hey! I heard you got out of the infirmary, I thought we'd celebrate!" Amber looked at her, perplexed, until Yang brought out a lemon and a bottle of gin. Amber shook his head.

"No, Yang, really,-"

"I insist!" chirped Yang, zipping through the doorway. She sat down on the couch, crossing her boots on the table. She smiled back at Amber, who's eyes were wide as coins. "Come on, let's see what's on T.V!"

"The T.V doesn't actually-"

"Great! Now sit. Down." Yang ordered. Amber hastily obeyed her. "Are you entering the tournament?" Yang asked as soon as he had sat.

"I don't know yet. I might, but I'll be in the first year division. I'm not the best fighter." Yang nodded.

"Ok. Well either way, I need you to do some more work for that White Fang project."

"You know my rates."

"I think that there's someone undercover at Beacon," whispered Yang.

"Ok. Why are we whispering?" whispered Amber.

"Because, its secreeeeet," replied Yang.

"Okay. I can go search the list of transfer students that registered in the tournament, that way I can get at least some basic info on them."

"Sure. But first..." Yang held up the bottle of gin. _Right,_ thought Amber. _Is she...?_

"Yang, are you... into me?" Amber asked. Yang threw her head back and laughed. Grabbing a two cups and pouring a hefty amount of gin into each, she told Amber.

"Sorry if I've been teasing, but no. You are handsome, but Blake would be furious." Amber's eyes widened.

"You and Blake are a thing?" he asked, incredulous.

"Well, no. Not yet," added Yang with a wink. She held out a cup to Amber. He took it. They both drank. Yang walked back over to the couch and sat.

"So, you know it was me that put you in the infirmary, right?"

* * *

Amber choked on the vile concoction in his mouth.

"What?" he spluttered. "I thought maybe I drew too much, I had no idea!" He tried to recall what injuries he had, but could not.

"Yeah, things were getting a little out of hand, so I knocked you out," said Yang slowly. "Sorry about that. Everything's fine, though." Amber thought back to the incident.

"Wait, how long was I out?"

"Not long."

"Yang..."

"Just a few days."

"Wow. You pack quite a punch, no pun intended." Amber looked over at Yang, who proudly smiled.

"Nice pun." she said, smirking. "So uh, what's been going on with you?"

"I met a girl."

"Nice! How did you meet? Was she pretty? Did you talk long?" Amber then recounted the details of the meeting in the infirmary.

"That must've been awkward."

"Tell me about it. I didn't see her after though. I'm thinking of going back. She wasn't your average, everyday beautiful. This girl was a knockout." Amber stared at the ceiling, taking a sip of gin. The liquid burned his throat like fire, but he pinched his nose and choked it down. After a short time, Amber could feel the buzz of alcohol take hold of him. Getting up to pour another drink for himself and Yang, he spoke up.

"So, you wanna look over some contestants with me?" Amber handed Yang her gin and sat in his chair. Wheeling around to face the computer, he brought up the contestant list. "What did the person who Ruby fought look like?"

"She had black hair, and fought with dual swords. She was wearing a mask, we don't know what her face was." Yang responded. Amber ran a hand through his hair, typing at his keyboard. After a minute, he turned to Yang.

"I can't find much, but here's the list of black haired contestants. With the deets you gave me, I can't really do anything." Yang nodded, frowning.

"Fine. At least we can drink." She held up her cup as if in a toast, and Amber obliged her.


End file.
